


lay your burdens down

by disgruntled_lesbian



Series: please give zuko a hug [7]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Apologies, Forgiveness, Gen, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Relationship, The Tent Scene, Zuko (Avatar)-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:42:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26473591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/disgruntled_lesbian/pseuds/disgruntled_lesbian
Summary: “uncle?” shame guilt fear has him bowing his head, prepared for the strike he’s still so sure will come. he stands motionless for a moment, waiting for uncle to realize he’s there, that he’s come home, if only he can, however he can and then he hears it. soft, low snores that have lulled him to sleep more nights than he’ll ever admit. blinking back tears, zuko settles into lotus on the ground next to uncle’s futon, watching him sleep.
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: please give zuko a hug [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1784050
Comments: 20
Kudos: 543





	lay your burdens down

zuko stands in front of uncle’s tent, stuck _stuck stuck he can’t move, he can’t go in, he’s just standing there because he can’t_ \-- sokka comes up behind him, footsteps loud and careful, announcing his presence. he reaches out to touch zuko’s shoulder and zuko can’t stop the flinch. sokka doesn’t leave him though, just stands close enough that zuko knows he’s still there, his fingertips reaching out to brush against zuko’s, there, but not overwhelming. 

“hey buddy, are you okay?” he asks softly. zuko wants to cry, scream, tear out his hair -- 

“no -- i’m not okay.” he spits out, cradling his head in his hands. “my uncle hates me, i know it. he loved me and supported me in every way he could, and i --” he feels nauseous, shame tearing through him. “i still turned against him.” he looks over his shoulder at sokka, whispering: “how can i even face him?”

sokka grabs his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. he’s put his body, conscious or unconsciously, between zuko and the rest of the camp. “you’re sorry, right?” he asks, voice low, and zuko breaks, tears streaming down his face. 

“more sorry than i’ve been about anything in my entire life.” zuko sobs, quietly. sokka bumps his shoulder with his, pretending not to see zuko wipe tears from his eyes with his sleeve. 

“then it’ll be okay.” 

zuko takes a deep breath and nods. giving sokka’s hand a squeeze, he slips into the darkness of uncle’s tent, leaving sokka behind. 

“uncle?” _shame guilt fear_ has him bowing his head, prepared for the strike he’s still so sure will come. he stands motionless for a moment, waiting for uncle to realize he’s there, _that he’s come home, if only he can_ , _however he can_ and then he hears it. soft, low snores that have lulled him to sleep more nights than he’ll ever admit. blinking back tears, zuko settles into lotus on the ground next to uncle’s futon, watching him sleep. 

zuko drifts in and out of sleep through the night, curled up on the cold ground. he wakes sometime before dawn, and settles back into lotus. the rise and fall of uncle’s chest is soothing. 

uncle wakes up and zuko blinks back traitorous tears as his uncle turns away from him. 

“uncle,” zuko says, choking on the lump in his throat. “i know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me.” uncle doesn’t move, and zuko feels like everything is falling apart. uncle never turned his back on him before, and it hits zuko like a knife in his heart. _he just wants to come home but there’s nothing left and he was so stupid stupid._ “but I want you to know,” he starts sobbing and can’t stop, is filled with so much grief it hurts. “i am so, so, sorry, uncle. i am so sorry and ashamed of what i did. i don't know how i can ever make it up to you. but i'll--” _he’ll do anything to fix what he’s done, just please please look at him_

uncle turns and pulls him into a hug, and he sobs into uncle’s shoulder, shaking. _he’ll do anything to make it up to uncle, anything at all --_

zuko clings to uncle, desperate fingers digging into the fabric of his sleeping robe. “how can you forgive me so easily?” he asks, stumbling over his words. “i thought you would be furious with me?” _why why why --_

uncle sighs, and holds him gently, like he’s scared zuko will disappear if he doesn’t. “i was never angry with you.” he says softly, cupping the back of zuko’s neck. “i was sad because i was afraid you lost your way.” 

_but he did_ “i did lose my way.” zuko whispers, resting his forehead against uncle’s. _how could uncle ever forgive him_ he closes his eyes as uncle reaches out to him. 

“but you found it again. and you did it by yourself.” uncle brushes the tears from zuko’s face with his sleeve, tears still running down his own face. 

  
zuko laughs quietly, sniffling. “it wasn’t that hard, uncle." he wipes his nose on his sleeve. "you have a pretty strong scent.” uncle laughs at that, he stays curled up in uncle’s arms for a little bit, unwilling to let go. he knows they need to move, plan -- but for a moment, one selfish moment, he wants to remember how it felt to be _loved wanted safe._


End file.
